This past weekend I had the pleasure of providing a Trail Building School to my local club, the Tri Cities Off Road Cycling Association (TORCA). More often than not, when working with clubs in Canada, I'm not often a local trail user to begin with, so It was nice to have some more local knowledge and context of what the club was looking to accomplish and how the trail project fit within the overall vision of the trail network.

Kelowna might just be the spot you will want to live in 5 years. An incredible amount of riding is on tap in the area; from XC loops through incredible scenery to advanced technical trails that challenge every rider. Behind these trails stands Mountain Bikers of the Central Okanagan (MTBco), a group of dedicated volunteers who are set on building Kelowna into a true riding destination. With support from local landmanagers, a great canvas, and a strong trails organization, Kelowna (and West Kelowna) is sure to grow and thrive as a trail centre.

Banff, Canada's oldest and likely most iconic national park, has a special place in the heart of many Canadians. It has the reputation to inspire and instill a sense of awe in any who visit. Wether you climb one of its many mountain peaks or just view the scenery from the townsite, it's likely you will leave with a heightened appreciation for the rocky mountains.

IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew leaders AJ Strawson and Rachael Raven wrap up their time on the road and say goodbye!

For the past year and a half, AJ and I have travelled all across the country - visiting all of Canada's beautiful and unique provinces (plus the Yukon!), riding our bikes, building trails, and spreading the word about how mountain biking and singletrack make our communities better places to live.

Our visit to the Kolapore Wilderness Trails Association was a monumental one, not only is it the last visit as IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew of our careers, but also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the KWTA. We are happy to report that, thanks to the great professionalism of the club and hard work from volunteers, the visit was a success. Indeed, they were able to draw visitors from a wide area around the GTA, a testament to the high level of organization the club enjoys.

Located near Peterborough's east end, Harold Town Conservation Area is a property which has seen many users, and many trails over the years. The area has a unique history - like many Conservation Areas in Ontario - where you can find much evidence of past uses, including farmsteads, an old ski hill, ATV and dirt bike trails, and orchards.

It's no surprise that frontcountry trails get more attention than backcountry. It is tough to get out and monitor or assess backcountry routes, let alone get materials or people out to maintain them. So this week we took to Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site's 60km Liberty Loop to assess the condition of the trails and get the full park experience.